10 gifts to sew for teachers (desk to classroom)

The best gifts to sew for teachers are things they use every day: a zipper pouch for pens, a boxed tote for the school run, a drawstring bag for classroom supplies, a bookmark or a scrunchie for the weekend. All ten gifts below come from real Sewzy patterns, take from 10 minutes to 3 hours, and use cotton, canvas or denim that survives a school year.

TL;DR

• Fastest: the Elastic Bookmark takes 10 minutes and the free Scrunchie takes 15.
• Desk favorite: the free Zipper Pouch, 45 minutes, three sizes.
• School bag: the free Boxed Tote Bag, 90 minutes, or the Pocket Tote with inside and outside pockets, about 3 hours.
• Free patterns: zipper pouch, tote bag, drawstring bag, scrunchie and bowl cozy. The other five are Premium in the Sewzy app.
• Kids can help choose fabric, press, turn and fill the eye pillow.

Sew the Zipper Pouch from this guide, step by step, in the Sewzy app

Pick your size, print it from your phone, and follow every step with a sewing coach beside you.

Which gifts are worth sewing for a teacher?

Teachers get a lot of mugs. A sewn gift stands out when it earns a spot on the desk or in the school bag. The table lists all ten, with times and levels taken from the app.

What can a teacher use at their desk?

The Zipper Pouch is the safest bet. It comes in Small (7 × 5 in), Medium (9 × 6½ in) and Large (11 × 8 in), and each size needs ¼ yd of outer fabric plus ¼ yd of lining, except Large, which needs ⅓ yd of each. For a first zipper, read how to sew a zipper pouch.

The Elastic Bookmark is a small pocket on an elastic loop that holds your place in a book. It comes in Paperback (3½ × 5 in) and Hardcover (4 × 6 in) sizes. Our guide to the elastic bookmark shows the steps.

What works for the classroom?

The Drawstring Bag is a free 30 minute pattern in Small (8 × 10 in), Medium (12 × 15 in) and Large (16 × 20 in). A Large bag is a good size for a class set of art supplies or a library book bag. Make one from a bright print so it is easy to spot on a shelf.

The Reading Pillow has a pocket and a handle, which suits a reading corner. It is sized by pillow form: 12 × 16 in, 16 × 16 in or 18 × 18 in, and you buy the form to match. The pocket holds a book or two, and the handle makes it easy to carry.

What can a teacher carry to school?

The free Boxed Tote Bag comes in Regular (15 × 16 in, ¾ yd outer plus ¾ yd lining) and Large (18 × 18 in, 1 yd plus 1 yd). It is a beginner pattern with a pocket inside. If you want a bag that organizes a laptop and papers, the Pocket Tote is a step up: Standard is 16 × 11 in and Large is 18 × 13 in, and it takes about 3 hours. For help with the corners, see how to sew a tote bag with boxed corners.

What helps a teacher unwind?

• Scrunchie: the Scrunchie comes in Regular (4 × 22 in strip) and Oversized (6 × 30 in) and takes 15 minutes. A satin one is a nice small add-on to a bigger gift.
• Eye pillow: the Eye Pillow comes in Small, Standard and Large, and one fat quarter of each fabric makes 2 pillows. It is filled with flax seed or rice and a little dried lavender or chamomile. Here is how to sew an eye pillow.
• Bowl cozy: the free Bowl Cozy suits a staff room lunch. Use 100% cotton fabric, batting and thread only, because polyester melts in the microwave.

How do you wrap a sewn teacher gift?

The Wine and Gift Bags pattern makes a lined bag with a drawstring in Small (6 × 8 in), Large (10 × 12 in) and Wine (4½ × 16 in). Check your school's gift rules before giving alcohol. For small gifts such as a bookmark and a scrunchie, a Small bag turns the wrapping into part of the present. More ideas are in how to sew a wine bottle gift bag.

How can children help make the gift?

1. Let the child choose the fabric from three or four options the teacher would like.
2. Have them trace or mark pieces after an adult has printed and cut the pattern.
3. Press seams together, with an adult handling the iron.
4. Turn the finished pieces right side out and poke out corners with a blunt tool.
5. Fill the eye pillow through a paper funnel, then an adult sews it shut.

Common mistakes with handmade teacher gifts

• Starting too late. Sew the longest gift first. The pocket tote needs about 3 hours for one bag, and that does not include printing, taping and cutting.
• Using the wrong filling or fabric. A bowl cozy needs 100% cotton. An eye pillow needs a closed inner bag so the flax or rice stays inside.
• Making too many things. One good bag with a small extra beats a pile of tiny gifts. Try a pouch plus a scrunchie.
• Skipping the wash. Pre-wash cotton and canvas before cutting so the finished gift does not shrink at the teacher's house.

What if you want more gift ideas?

For other recipients, see gifts to sew for nurses, gifts to sew for kids and last-minute gifts to sew. For small extras, try stocking stuffers to sew. Choose one pattern in the Sewzy app and sew it this weekend.